| false negative: test result implying a condition does not exist when in fact it does. |
 |
|
|
| false positive: test result implying a condition exists when in fact it does not. |
|
|
|
| familial adenomatous polyposis or FAP:
(fa-mil-e-uhl ad-no-muh-tus pa-lee-po-sis):
an inherited condition that is a risk factor for developing colorectal cancer at a young age. People with this syndrome develop polyps in the colon and rectum. Usually one or more of these polyps becomes cancerous if it is not removed. FAP is caused by changes in the APC gene. See also APC gene. |
|
|
|
| fascia:
(fash-uh ):
a sheet or thin band of fibrous tissue that covers muscles and some organs of the body. |
|
|
|
| fatigue:
(fuh-teeg):
a common symptom during cancer treatment, a bone-weary exhaustion that doesn't get better with rest. For some, this can last for some time after treatment. |
|
|
|
| fecal immunochemical test:
(fee-kuhl im-you-no-KIM-uh-kuhl test):
(also called FIT): a newer test to look for "hidden" blood in the stool, which could be a sign of cancer. The test is not affected by vitamins or foods, though it still requires 2 or 3 specimens. See also fecal occult blood test, false positive, and colorectal cancer screening. |
|
|
|
| fecal occult blood test: a test for "hidden" blood in the feces (stool). The presence of such blood could be a sign of cancer. See also fecal immunochemical test, and colorectal cancer screening. |
|
|
|
| feces:
(fee-sees):
solid waste matter; stool. |
|
|
|
| fibrocystic changes:
(fi-bro-sis-tick):
a term that describes certain benign changes in the breast. Symptoms of this condition are breast swelling or pain. The doctor or nurse will also look for the presence of nodules, lumpiness, or a discharge from the nipples. Because these symptoms or other signs can look a lot like breast cancer, a mammogram or a biopsy of breast tissue may be needed to show that there is no cancer. |
|
|
|
| fibrosis: formation of scar-like (fibrous) tissue. This can happen anywhere in the body. |
|
|
|
| fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy: a procedure in which a thin needle is used to draw up (aspirate) samples to be looked at under a microscope. See also biopsy. |
|
|
|
| first degree relative: a parent, sibling (brother or sister), or child. |
|
|
|
| FISH: short for fluorescent in situ hybridization; a cytogenetic blood test used to find specific DNA sequences on chromosomes. It can be used to diagnose, to evaluate prognosis (disease outlook), or to look at the remission of a disease, such as cancer. See also cytogenetics. |
|
|
|
| fistula:
(fist-chu-luh):
an abnormal passage, opening, or connection between 2 internal organs or from an internal organ to the surface of the body. |
|
|
|
| five (5)-year survival rate: the percentage of people with a given cancer who are expected to survive 5 years or longer after diagnosis. Five-year survival rates are based on the most recent information available, but they may include information from the percentage of people with a given cancer who are expected to survive 5 years or longer after diagnosis. Five-year survival rates are based on the most recent information available, but they may include information from patients treated several years earlier. These numbers do not take into account advances in treatment that have often occurred. They are not helpful in predicting an individual case. They only paint a very general picture of how people in the past have done with the same type of cancer. |
|
|
|
| flow cytometry:
(flow sy-tahm-uh-tree):
a test of tumor tissue to see how fast the tumor cells are reproducing and whether the tumor cells contain a normal or abnormal amount of DNA. This test is used to help predict how aggressive a cancer is likely to be. See also ploidy, DNA, and S-phase fraction. |
|
|
|
| focus:
(fo-kus):
a point at which rays of light or radiation beams come together. Also used to describe a region of disease in the body. The plural can be focuses or foci (fo-si). |
|
|
|
| frozen section: a very thin slice of body tissue that has been quick-frozen and then looked at under a microscope. This method is sometimes used during an operation because it gives a quick diagnosis, and can tell a surgeon whether or not to continue with the procedure. The diagnosis is confirmed in a few days by a more detailed study called a permanent section. |
|
|
|
